Mobile spraying equipment



Oct. 13, 1953 E. J. LATTNER ,4

- MOBILE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. 19 597 J. 4rr-p E. J. LATTN ER MOBILE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Oct. 13, 1953 2,655,405

Filed Oct. 19, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 6714597 J (Arr/V5? Oct. 13, 1953 E. J. LATTNER 2,6 5,405

' MOBILE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. lfMERT J 1/1 77 N5? ATTORNEY Oct. 13, 1953 E. J. LATTNER ,4

MOBILE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 19, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. EMA-PT J ZATIWEQ ATTOPMEX Oct. 13, 1953 E. J. LATTNER 2,655,405

MOBILE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT F'i-led Oct. 19, 1949 5 Sheets$heet 5 IN VEN TOR.

5145.07 urn/0 BY rraxeizx Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,655,405 MOBILE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Emert J. Lattner, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application October 19, 1949, Serial No. 122,296

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to spraying equipment and has particular relation to mobile spraying equipment adapted to spray DDT, 2,4-D or the like over wide strips, as for instance fields, roadsides and other areas.

It is one of the main objects of my invention to provide an extremely mobile and facile spraying rig which may be either towed by tractor, wagon, or mounted on a tractor or other vehicle by quick attachable mounts, or which may be self-propelled if desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of this character having booms which may be readily controlled by the operator to be raised or lowered and held in any extreme or intermediate position as desired. Furthermore, such booms must be capable of resiliently moving away from an obstacle such as a fence, tree, or the like if the operator should inadvertently cause them to strike such an object.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a single control means such that the operator, by moving only one handle, may cause the spray fluid to be delivered from either or both booms or from a center boom or delivery pipe or combination of right or left booms with the center boom or all booms or to a flush conduit or to a utility conduit or all closed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a support means such that the spraying equipment may be mounted on a truck for transport or for spray use or may be mounted on a tractor or on a tractor trailer or, in fact, any mobile support.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specifications, wherein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of the spraying outfit as it appears when ready for attaching to a tractor or the like. bodiment of the invention, the device is adapted to carry two tanks of spray fluid.

In Figure 2 is illustrated another embodiment of the invention in which the device is adapted to be mounted on a supporting framework such as the truck mounted framework shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 is therefore a view in perspective of In this em- I the receiving framework on which the device shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be mounted, and this receiving framework is shown in position on a truck which is outlined in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a mounting for the spraying device which may be mounted directly on the truck or tractor.

Figure 5 is a view in exploded relation of the valve and valve housing which controls the flow of spraying fluid to the three booms, the utility conduit, and the flush conduit.

Figure 6 is a view in section of the valve and housing shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of the valve housing shown in Figures 5 and 6 with the various ports labeled. Since this view is of the rear of the housing shown in Figure 5, the position of the ports in the housing appear reversed from their positions as shown in Figure 5 and Figures 8 to 17.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the valve plate when all ports are closed. The holes shown in full are holes through the movable valve plate. The dotted circles represent holes or ports in the housing leading to the left boom, the right boom, the center boom, and a utility connection. In this and the following Figures 8 to 17 inclusive, the plate is moved in ten successive steps in a clockwise direction to uncover the various ports singly and in various combinations.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the valve plate when the port leading to the left boom is open.

Figure 10 illustrates the position of the plate when both left and center booms are being supplied with spraying liquid.

Figure 11 illustrates the position of the plate when all ports are open.

Figure 12 illustrates the position of the plate when the right and center ports are uncovered by holes in the plate.

Figures 13 to 16 inclusive illustrate successive positions of the plate as the right boom port, the center boom port, the utility port and fluid port are individually uncovered, and

Figure 17 illustrates a position of the plate alternative to Figure 8 in which all ports are again closed.

Referring, then, to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof; a device constructed according to one embodiment of my invention includes an arched frame l0 supported on trailer wheels II and I2, and an approximately rectangular frame [3 for supporting one or more barrels or tanks, illustrated at M.

A pair of uprights l6 and I! are mounted at the rear of frame 13 and these members are joined at their upper ends by cross member 26 to form a mount for the valve assembly and boom support, illustrated generally at 28.

Opposed channel members 20 and 25 are slideably and adjustably engaged on the uprights l6 and 11 air vertical movement and may be locked at any desired position by locking means such as illustrated at 21.

The channel members 20 and 2 carry arms [8 and I9 for supporting a center-booth 2|, and

these arms also act as means for supporting trough-like members such as illustrated atjj, which support the inner ends (if-the left bo'oi'ri 23 and right boom 24.

The booms 23 and 24 consist of pipe sections closed at-both their outer and inner ends as by s 3|, with the booms or pipes' adapted tore v s-pray noi'zle's such as that: illustrated at 32. The left, boom has inlet at 3'3; tihile the ri ht bloom an iijlet at, A

The, center boom 2! is ssess d by means ofp'ipe caps, and it is prov; ed with" i v 316;;

y The inner. ends of; the booms are attached' to theolitei ends of coil spririgsiilandu; rid norman tnese springs rest in the" trough-1i e mem here 22; thus teridifi'gtd th boo g 24 to normally be biased use "d their outwardly attending positions, shown in Figure 1-, at right angles tothe 1n ert' ve1 er the trdl: The booms are; supports-enemtheir' outer nds y ropes' o ca-bies 41" see 42 and -mu e; ifthe booms strike arr ohstaclsiich as a fence post the like, the obstacle iiv'illcause the booms to s'wing; rearwa-rdi r about he flexible coupling members at 31 and" 38} rats "g" the outr eild s of the coupling members 31 and 38 out of the trough and distorting spring couplers 3-1 and 38".

Assoon as the obstacle has been passed;- the cirribiiiation of the fort exerted b'y-the dist'orted sen members 31- and 38-: and the trou h 22 Will cause thebo6nis=to-returm to their normal serenely 'e'xterrdifig position.

Also; if it isnecessary toraise either or both of the booms, the operator may pull on the ropes 41' of 2 or-botlr to:ra-i' se-tlie-booms: Sincethese roses aretrainee b'ackward'ly: through pulleys in the boom supports 28 and outwardly'through supporting arms 51 and 52, thesprin'gs 3;!- and 3 8-- permit the: booms to readily swing" upwardly as desired, and the booms ,may be locked-in. any positiom of.i tilt by a mechanisma hereinafter more particularly described." 7 g H In order that a sprayer. construoted.acoord ing tomy invention may havelt'l'i' greatest'ntility and adaptability, I have provid earls whereby the rectangular framework supporting the structuremay be mounted" directly; or'r a tractor or on the back of a truck oras-atrailing hi'cl It may be modified to car'ryi one or t-wo as desired. Many-timesit'is desirableto pbrtthe entire-unit for demonstration purposes or the like on the back of apick-up truck: or such vehicle, and I have accordingly devised means for quick mounting: anddismbuntingg. of the unit: The devicevshown in Figure 1 is; of course, self-supported and is adapted to be drawn by; means of;the= trailen 'hitchifig,

Thev device; shown, in Figure2- is of essentially the same-construction as that showntin Figure Land utilizes a lefttboomfil, a r boom 62",

ported on slides 61 and 68. The uprights 65 and 10 support a cross member 69 which in turn supports the valve assembly II and the boom supporting means 12 and 13. The uprights B5 and I0 are welded to the outer ends of arms 14 and 1B, and these arms 14 and 16 may he slid on over on the guides 11 and I8 of the pick-up truck, illustrated in Figure 3, or they may be slid on over the channels 8 andfi}, which channels are adapted to be fastened by yoke members 183 and 84 to the rear axle of a tractor or the like, illustrated in; Figure 4.

The telescopic members illustrated generally at 86 ahd- B'I'ihay be extended or retracted in such ,a rna nner that they may be engaged to the dravv ar or other rearwardly extending portions bf the tract-smother three or four point mounting of the frame members 8| and 82 on the heater may be effected.

as; was are iii fastened to; the" iiiihbe f 14 and 16- bymeans of the adjustable cross member 9|.

" is not: alwayszpractica'l fox-lmo'rej than one man to do" the: spraying: At times all three-booms may be used; At; other: times it ispra'ctical. to use; only one or two booms; perhaps the center or left: booms; ortthe two outer" bo'oms',- or" the center and the: right booms Furthermore the spraying materiar may clog; the pumpso'r other apparatus; the valves; or the. line, and it.1.wi1'l be necessaryfor1the opeiator to clean out these lineswith the le'astefifort and loss of time.

, Hitherto a pl-urality'ofya'lves have been used: to -controlzthe'fiow of liquid'; and it-was-necessary for the'o'peratc r either to stopand get' down from. the tractor; orsother' towing vehicle and adjust; therflow of sprayv fluid;1o-r else'have a secofi'd man toido this'workr llhaveiprovidedasingle'control;

fluid toan utilityrline u and aright team, 63.. These-members are ii preferred embodiment of the device: appears; in exploded relation in: Figure 5, and in cross: section: Figure 62 The rear of the valve is; shown" in Figure 7, While Figures 8 to 171110111- siveillustrate? the various positions the valve plateafna y" have inlthe housing. The preferred device includes;- a recessed front: housing or plate. illustrated at 9h having arro'wsor other indicia; as at 92, on the exposed face thereof to indicatethe various operating positions of the plate. Thi's member be: secured to the supporting members and 9'4 by'four of the peripherai lugs '56;- The operating: shaft: 911,. which; rotatesth'e'rplate' 98 through theagency'o'f the coupling 99, passes through: a suitable i boss in the cover plate:

The rear Housing ln'lis provided 'vzith streets-emits web 01 fits-1 2 ail-a cylindrical bosses 0 3 tail n nerve; througnwnicn ports or upstage-may bedi'illed'and tapp'ed to provideports respectively for the left boom, the pump, the utility line, the center boom, the right boom, and the by-pass. Note that the relative position of these openings appears reversed in Figures and '7 inasmuch as the rear housing is being viewed from the front in Figure 5, while it is being viewed from behind in Figure '1.

Only the ports I09 for the right boom, the port III for the center boom, the port H2 for the utility connection, the port I34 for the pump and the port H3 for the left 'boom pass entirely through the housing I0 I.

The coupling 99 is provided with three unequally spaced pins, two of which are illustrated at H5, and these three pins are received, when the valve is properly assembled, in the holes H5 in the disc-like valve plate 98, while the shaft 91 passes through the opening H1 in the plate 98 and into the opening II8 of the rear housing IOI in which it is journalled for rotation. Movement of the operating handle H9 produces rotation of the shaft 91, and thus the disc 98 is caused to rotate within the housings 9| and [01 to uncover the various ports as it rotates.

The plate 98 is biased against the faces of the ports I09, III, H2 and H3 by means Of the coil spring I2I. A portion of the rear face of the housing 'IOI is provided with a boss I22 so that a conduit I23 may be provided, as illustrated at I23 in Figure 6, in order to limit the pressure and regulate the pressure of the fluid within the housing as desired. Fluid under excess pressure within the housing around plate 98 may escape through conduits I28 and I24, lift valve I29 and pass through the cylindrical guide I21 and out through the conduits I23 and I26 to escape through the by pass port I30.

The conduit I28 is closed by means of a check valve I29, pressure to which is supplied by means of spring I31, and the pressure on the spring is adjusted by means of the screw I32 so that by adjusting screw I32, the pressure within the housing may be regulated as desired. The amount of pressure within the housing is indicated by means of the pressure gauge I33.

A flexible conduit from the pump (not shown) leads into the housing through the port I34 in boss I04. Spray fluid from the pump fills the interior of the chamber through the port I34. The fluid passes into the chamber I36 back of the plate 98 and through the various openings of the plate and around the plate into the front chamber I31. Since the ports I09, III, H2 and H3 are covered by the plate, except when openings in the plate, hereinafter described, uncover the ports, the fluid in the chamber I31 cannot pass into these ports until they are uncovered by the openings in the plate.

Observe, then, the openings I4I, I42, and I43 in Figure 8. In this position, all of the ports I09, III, H2, and H3 are covered by the plate, but as the plate is rotated in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 9, the first of the openings MI is positioned over the port H3, so that in the position of the plate shown in Figure 9, the spraying fluid may pass through the opening I4I into the left boom.

When the plate has been moved to a second position, illustrated in Figure 10, the second opening I42 still permits fluid to pass into the left boom as before, but in this position the first of a series of openings I44, I46, I41 and I-52 is over the port III leading to the center boom.

6 Therefore with the valve plate in the position shown in Figure 10, fluid is being supplied both to the left and to the center boom, while in the position shown in Figure 9, fluid is being supplied only to the left boom.

In the position of the plate 98, illustrated in Figure 11, the third opening I43 is over the port I I3 leading to the left boom, the second opening I46 leading to the center boom is over the port III and the first of a series of openings I48, I49 and lil has uncovered the port I09 leading to the right boom. Therefore, in this position of the plate, fluid is being supplied through opening I43 to the left boom, I43 to the center boom, and I49 to the right boom.

In the position of the plate illustrated in Figure 12, the left boom openings MI, I42 and I43 are out of register with the port H3 and consequently fluid cannot flow to the left boom. The third opening of the series I44, I43, I41 and I52 is in register with the port III of the center boom, and therefore fluid is flowing to the center boom. The second opening I49 of the series I48, I49 and I5I is in register with the port I09 of the right boom, and therefore fluid is flowing to both the right and center booms.

In Figure 13 the last of the three openings I40, I49 and I5I is in register with the port I09 of the right boom, while all the other ports are closed, so that fluid is flowing now only to the right boom.

In Figure 14 the plate 98 has advanced to a position where the fourth opening I52 of the series I44, I40, I41 and I52 is in register with the port III of the center boom. This port I52 permits fluid to flow to the center boom while all other ports are closed.

In Figure 15 the plate 98 has been moved to a still further position in which the first of a series of two openings I53I54 uncovers the utility port H2 so that fluid flows to the utility line, which may be used to spray individual plants or areas as desired.

It is desirable, in one position of plate 98, that all of the ports be uncovered at one time so that the entire valve and all of the lines may be flushed out, and this condition is secured by rotating the plate to a position shown in Figure 16, at which position the utility port is uncovered by flush opening I54. The center port I II is uncovered by the flush port I56. The right boom port I09 is uncovered by the flush opening I51 and the left boom port I I3 is uncovered by flush opening I58.

Upon still further rotation of the disc to the position shown in Figure 17, all ports are again closed.

It is apparent that by means of the system just described, the operator has complete control of the spraying operation from the seat of the vehicle on which the apparatus is mounted and can direct the spray fluid to any or all of the booms as desired, or to the utility outlet, or may flush all the ports. He may regulate the spray fluid pressure as desired.

The apparatus has extreme mobility and flexibility and may be mounted on truck, or tractor, or towed vehicle such as a trailer.

Although I have described several embodiments of my invention, it is apparent that modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

27 I claim as my "invention: In a sprayer, "a" -leit b06111, "center"boom and right bom;conduitsdadingtb these ilh-r e M01118,

plying spraying fluid to -these' 011t1ets icomprising a; drum-like va-fve-husi-nfi havmg -'a-p1ura-1ity of ports-in one wall-"theredti'confiuits eennecting the bn'ems andhose eachto'ai 1301 1;,- the saidwan also having a, bypass :port-andwheck "valve -the1qein, a disc Valve having 2a, plurality ef openings therethrough to uncover the various-ports singly or in combination, a port in-the wa=111eading into theinteriorzof'whevalve-housing, a rod and lever for rotating the disc, the valve housing being mounted near the operator ohe-mgy effect dis.- tribution 'to the "vmricms Outlets without leaving his'seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent "UNITED'STATES PATENTS Niiilflihi Name 1110432929 f-fstfd -4444 Navy-12,1912 1,154,127 Dtwner 4 sent. 21, 1.91 5 1,482,"?70 Ter'fn L mb. 5, 1924 1,686,450 Henry 0efi.---2,'1928 118871692- "GIas Nova- 1932 2,210,346 stayton Augxe, 1940 "212%6366 stribiing 4c 21 arm-24,1941 2,273,344 Blik e't'll. eb.-'1 7',194'2 2,314,292 Welch Mai1 .=16,194-3 "2,432,309 (30244-- 4 9, 1 947 OTHER REFERENCES "Century Sprayer adverfiiselnent in Farm In;- plement News, November 18,- 1948, page; 171; published by -Farm Implement News Company,

7 'Ghicago, I11. 

